Tag: L.A. beat scene

Los Angeles. So much reason for so much pride right now. This city had an unbelievable year in music, and nothing’s slowing for 2011. Mark my words. Just as the noise scene grew up this year with more “mature” releases from No Age, Wavves, Abe Vigoda and others, the next two will be marked by increasingly sophisticated and beautiful releases from the local beat fam. But you don’t want to wait for Rolling fucking Stone or Paste to tell you that, do you? Nah. Get on the train now, and check out five future classics that came out this year, but which didn’t make it onto the A.V. Club’s year-end list (which is why Baths and Lotus are excluded).

A testament to the wide reach of Los Angeles’ thriving instrumental hip-hop movement, a group of electronic artists based in Moscow has begun its own beat scene and, bringing things full circle, has found a friend in downtown L.A. label Alpha Pup. This is a quick read and a mere introduction to their world, by yours truly, published in L.A. Weekly.

* “We’re pretty sure Empire of the Sun derives its power from the insane headdresses of frontman Luke Steele. Out of, erm, respect to that epiphany, we present to you the ten most hideous, god awful, what-in-the-funk-where-they-thinking hats in modern music history.”

* An atmospheric opening with a looming bass line eventually breaks into the kind of low-key four-on-the-floor while chopped horns, strings and vocals enhance the dueling dynamic of chill vs. hyped, in Dntel’s remix of Bath’s “Rain Smell.”

So we’ve really made no attempts to hide our enthusiasm for Chatsworth producer/musician/singer Baths, a.k.a. fresh Anticon signing Will Wiesenfeld. We’ve previewed his gigs, big-upped his ambient works as Geotic, talked about the young star on the radio, and basically become dude’s personal documentarian via news updates (a couple of those below).

Finally, things may cool down a bit.

This isn’t so much because anything’s cooling down for Wiesenfeld, a rising star in indie music, but because we were able to do a lengthy feature on Baths for L.A. Weekly, dubbed, “The Great Escape.” Wiesenfeld was kind enough to donate a few hours to the cause, which meant lunch at the estimable Islands, and hang-time with him and his mom at the family home in Chatsworth.

Hello! Come one come all. Tune in and drop out of the daily grind with the sweet, sweet sounds of L.A. residents Take and Matthewdavid. These beat scene regulars have come together to share two sides of a sorely limited 10-inch platter that’s a must own for fans of progressive electronic fare.

It’s Baths day here at Funny Ha Ha, but can you blame us? Will Wiesenfeld’s music is as fascinating as it is infectious, and like L.A.’s current favorite son, the kid hails from the Valley. Chatsworth, to be exact, just a five-minute drive from that other ‘burb creative hotbed, Winnetka. Kudos to the beat scene for giving the SFV something to be proud of. Well, other than the seedier side of the So Cal film industry. But I digress.

Earlier in the week, KPCC’s Alex Cohen called me into the studio to talk about Baths for All Things Considered. Get hip to it already.